TL;DR: Chaotic, fun, and not for everyone. Go for a show,…read morestay longer than planned. If you're nearby and there's a drag show, it's worth going. It's fun, different, and a welcome disruption to the usual Victoria vibe. Vibe: Wizard of Oz-themed gay bar with zero subtlety. Loud, campy, and a sharp contrast to the rest of Victoria's generally polite energy. Not really a place straight couples need to linger unless there's a show. Drinks: Strong and fast. These are drinks, not cocktails, and that's exactly right for the room. Entertainment: We caught a Taylor Swift-themed drag show. I'm very much not a Swift fan, my girlfriend is, and we both had a good time. The performers carried the night. What could be better: If there's no show, the appeal drops fast unless this is already your scene.

This may be a gay bar by night, but there's nothing queer about the brunch menu here, folks!…read more My wife and I spotted this place the night before, when it was lit up in all manner of multichromatic madness, gleaming and glittering gaily, with pulse-pounding tunes pouring down the adjacent alleyway. The interior décor intrigued me, but as we had our toddler son with us, we couldn't enter during the "adult" hours, but we resolved to return in the morning for their legendary "best brunch in Victoria". Did it live up to its reputation? YAAAS QUEEN, SLAY those taste buds! My wife ordered the Homemade Maple Bacon, drizzled in mezcal cheese and accompanied by similarly glitzed-up scrambled eggs, roti flatbread, and a light salad with vinaigrette. After waffling back and forth over two dishes, I went with the ambiguously named "Tomatoes" which, as expected included tomatoes, of course, resting on a bed of a soft, moist cheese similar to queso fresco, dressed in chili crunch oil with peanuts and topped with spinach. It was wonderful, with my only regret being there wasn't enough of it. I had decided against the Steak and Eggs, as I'd wanted something lighter for breakfast, but in the end, what I'd ordered was a little too light for me. No matter; I helped the wife finish her meal as well, so everything worked out! I will say, though, that menus that lean in a little too far into brevity when it comes to the description of their entrées for the sake of being cute should probably rethink this strategy, and in all honesty, $16 CAD is a little steep for a dish this paltry in size, no matter how good it is. Alright, I've been enough of a basic bitch about nitpicky things, so let's put a bow on this review, slap its backside and send it on it's way! The "Lions, Tigers and Bears" cocktail was a frisky, refreshing take on my favorite, the Old Fashioned, and my pregnant wife's (virgin) Caesar may have been Bloody Mary-red, but it left me green with envy after a couple sips! I would be hard-pressed to choose between the view on our (inevitable) return visit to Victoria which, I hope, will be far sooner than later. For now, we'll be somewhere over the rainbow back home, waiting for a tornado to whisk us up and fling us back over the border. Vancouver may be the true Emerald City, but the yellow brick road leads directly to Friends of Dorothy in Victoria!

Dreadful bar/club! Typical attitude bar tenders. Weekends…read morelike a nursing home, no wonder young gays don't come here very often! DJ plays dreadful unrepeatable music! Better off driving to Seattle at least a much wider choice of gay bars and clubs!

First time in Vancouver. I just got off a cruise and had many hours to kill before my flight. So…read moreI bought a day bus pass and took the bus to this neighborhood. Came into this bar and had a beer in the afternoon. It wasn't busy, and the service was fine. I'm sure this bar is much better at night.

The food and the bartender kendall is amazing She does a…read moregreat job Great personality and talented too!!!

TL;DR: This is a heads up, not a critique. If you're not…read morepart of the scene, it's probably not for you. (i'm just copying others score here - were not qualified to give this a rating) Vibe: Very clearly a lesbian bar. Security wands you at the door, and while no one was rude in the slightest, it was immediately obvious that as a straight couple we weren't the intended audience. The energy felt off for us, not hostile, just mismatched. Drinks: Strong and straightforward. What could be better: Nothing, if you're the right crowd. For everyone else, it's simply not your room. Bottom line: If you're not in this scene and not a local regular, skip it. This place knows who it's for, and that's a good thing.

Quite possibly the coolest bar on Davie! Incredibly HOT…read morebartenders, all are friendly. Each night has a theme with incredible DJs. In the week they have incredible drag performances then turn the space into a dance club. Def a must return to!

This was a neat place in Canada, but it's pretty small and only one bartender working. Not many…read moreoptions to hang out. Not bad if you're drunk and want a drink, but not really a place to just chill.

They scan your ID and make you look into a facial recognition camera to enter, and they don't tell…read moreyou that the facial recognition scan is mandatory until you've already paid your cover. We got inside and there was hardly anyone here at 11:15pm on a warm Friday night. It almost seems like an identity theft operation masquerading as a bar. Even if it wasn't using creepy tech, there was hardly anyone inside and the vibes were rancid. Absolute waste of time. Avoid at all costs.

Great spot. Nice bartenders. A whole vibe! This bar has been around awhile and I know why. It's a…read moregreat spot on Davie Street in Vancouver

"I'm your biggest fan I'll follow you until you love me…read morePapa-paparazzi!" Door burst open with the tug of a firm hand... A staircase for the history books descending down into a wonderland of decadence, class and charm... At the very end just left of the second door, the one you've been waiting for, is a stand and a flock of stylish gentlemen to confirm legality to enter such a establishment (21+ & over) . Not to mention give you a friendly Victoria welcome minus the Cher cabaret burlesque number in the first act of Burlesque the movie. Paparazzi is s true hidden gem or diamond in the rough as another put it. A well known spot that doesn't like to scream itself as a gay night club or lgbtq+ establishment... Because it's a space where all are welcome and can be relished for lack of a better accompanying term. While the fixtures, back booths, pool tables and lay out are dated with underground 80s aesthetics in a good way... It's also up to date with sick beats, an amazing full bar and lots of friendly faces and people. The stained pool tables are apart of the charm... And after spilling a few drops of one of our cocktails on one of them... we quickly saw why... The two black boxes on the dance floor are just a step up and open to any and all when the dance party is on. They do have performances here, including drag shows so this may be one of the times that space wouldn't be open to patrons. We definitely worked them like it was their last night they'd be in use (pre-pandemic). The cover to get in is pretty fair, however is cash only. They do except US/American dollars if you're from out of the country as a lot of people often are. Next trip to Victoria, BC... "Baby, there's no other superstar You know that I'll be... Your papa-paparazzi!"

I would give this place a 0 if I could. From a recent experience last night, how this club…read moreresponded was unacceptable. a guest was called a homophobic slur, had reported this accident and nothing had been done. This place is no longer a safe place for the LGBTQ+ people. How can this club pride themself in providing an "all inclusive space and have no tolerance for any discrimination or harassment" when nothing was done? Show accountability and stop deleting your comments on instagram. It doesn't take much to apologize.

First time in Vancouver and before entering the club thought the vibes were even better than…read moreBoston. The drinks were good and bartenders were nice, but not many people were dancing and most used the middle of the dance floor as a hallway. That said, a *boy* in a Tommy Hilfiger collared shirt and trague stud piercing grabbed my head and continued to grab at my body/head as I tried to walk away. This occurred a little after midnight and unfortunately security was understaffed and unable to help right away. I hope no one else encountered him or his blacked out friend in a Sevilla t-shirt

A great time!…read more Visited Celebrities while in Vancouver visiting from the US on a Saturday Night. I'm a big EDM fan and Ive been to a LOT of EDM clubs and Celebrities was definitely in my top 5! The club was packed because a famous DJ was in town but yet I found it extremely comfortable. The staff were all super nice upon check in and the drinks are SUPER affordable! Overall I had an amazing night and will definitely be returning! A+++

This skuzzy death metal bar used to be a strip club back in the day, and the mounted pedestals with…read moreshower nozzles are still located throughout the room, adding an authentic trashy vibe to the already filthy ambiance. The Cobalt is the lowest common denominator of bars in Vancouver, but it manages to take a certain pride in the dilapidated scenario. Typically full of punkish-goth kids, it serves extremely cheap beer and highballs, has ample seating and room for mosh pits, and comes off as unpretentious, in a "too good for good" sort of way. Many loud bands are given their first opportunity here, and many of the better ones return after achieving success for nostalgia's sake. Things can get out of hand, as conventional wisdom tends to get left behind in coat check, and obnoxious teenage drunks start doing whatever they want. I've even seen a band shoot whiskey filled super soakers out into the audience. This is actually the only place I ever did cocaine, taking it for the only time on one of the musty old cars parked out back. I had always envisioned doing blow with nice clothes, beautiful women, a mirror, and a rolled up hundred dollar bill, but the Cobalt was so exactly opposite that it seemed perfect.

Stopped in for a drink with some friends at the Box Car, the extended bar to The Cobalt, on Friday…read morenight. It was a nice space, long and narrow giving it a cozy and intimate feeling. The long wooden bar dominated the space but was filled with an excellent variety of craft brew from all over Vancouver and BC. I really enjoyed the range of craft beer options, some included: Steel & Oak, Powell St., 33 Acres, Strange Fellows, Four Winds, and many more! There was also a great cocktail list that is keeping pace with craft cocktail explosion, particularly in Gastown/Chinatown. In this instance we got some cocktails "whipped up". Be careful what you wish for, in the best possible way. As the night went on it became a much more social some as people began to gather around the bar and fill up the space giving it a buzzing feeling. The bar staff were awesome! At tentative and accommodating. Will definitely go back. Ps there is a good truck outside so, when you need a snack...

I've only been to Junction for private events and they are solid, chill staff, clean, variety of…read moreseating and zones, depending on the season (they have an outdoor patio setup for spring summer), always a great lineup, clean washrooms, no complaints. Food and drinks are typical bar spreads. Street parking, nearby private parking, handicap friendly and very LGBTQ+ ally friendly.

Don't come here. very rude on pride day. Spoke in a condescending tone to us as if we were…read morechildren. would not recommend this bar.

I have not been in over 20 years and basically it's the same as I remember…read more French dip was great. I opted no mayo. Beef flavourful and au jus rich with flavours

Pretty disappointing. Expensive drink, rude staff, no service. Wouldn't recommend. Maybe it's just…read morecause I'm not in the specific demographic........